943. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)

Starring: Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner

Director: Brad Bird

Running Time: 133 mins

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is an American film and the fourth instalment in the Mission: Impossible franchise. After the IMF is shut down for being accused with an attack on the Kremlin, Ethan Hunt and his team are forced to go off the radar to redeem the organisation’s reputation.

It’s rare for the fourth film in a franchise to be the most exciting, most surprising and simply the best. With a new slick atmosphere thanks to great action, a brilliant story, good humour and great directing, this film reinvents the Mission: Impossible franchise, which after the third film was heading into extreme cliché territory.

The best thing about this whole film is how thrilling, unpredictable and intelligent its story is. Of course, in the grand scheme of things, you know what’s going to happen, but it’s the individual standoffs and battles that happen throughout this film that are so tense because the story is so well-written – the stakes are really high, with the team going completely rogue with no backup, and that’s what makes it feel all the more exciting.

The action is also a big help in making this such an exciting film to watch. From the off, there are great fight sequences throughout, brilliantly directed by Brad Bird, who bucks the shaky cam trend in favour of simple, clear shots that make this a much more pleasant action film to watch, and, coupled with the story, they are all hugely entertaining to watch, leaving you consistently biting your nails on the edge of your seat.

What’s more is that this film has got what is probably the most iconic action sequence of this decade so far. Tom Cruise climbing up the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, is incredibly thrilling, and will have your eyes glued to the screen and leave you completely breathless for at least half an hour, an amazing achievement for a supposedly generic spy action film.

One big change between this and the previous films is its improved humour. Whilst those films were still strong action movies with fun plots, they had a different sense of fun, one which didn’t have you as entertained as you are here. The great chemistry between the main characters allows for some very snappy comedic dialogue, whilst the writing as a whole is light-hearted enough to have jokes all the way through that don’t cheapen the excitement of the story, but still contribute to a more fun viewing experience.

Overall, this gets an 8.4, because of its stunning action sequences and brilliant story line that contribute to an absolutely thrilling watch, as well as the improved humour that makes this also just a bit more light-hearted than before.